1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to network management systems, and more specifically is directed toward the establishment and maintenance of a management information database using management information provided by network elements.
2. Related Art
One of the most fundamental challenges facing network management systems is the generation of an accurate representation of managed network elements for which the network management system is responsible. The managed network elements are represented by information that is stored in a management information database (MIB). The MIB represents the network management system's perception of the network. The MIB must be continually updated to reflect the dynamic network formed by the managed network elements.
A network can change dynamically due to changes in customer needs. For example, a customer's changing bandwidth requirements can alter the network at varying levels. Significant increases in bandwidth may alter the topology of a network as network elements are added to optimally accommodate the new customer requirements. At a smaller scale, changing customer needs may require the addition of channels on already existing network elements. In these scenarios, the internal configuration of a network element may be affected.
The dynamic changes within a network are based largely on the provisioning activities of the service provider. Provisioning is a general process of responding to a customer's needs in providing the requested amount of bandwidth service to the customer. For example, a customer may request that the service provider allocate 5 new DS3 channels between two of the customer's locations. These 5 new DS3 channels may be used to support digital data and video applications between the customer's two locations. Depending upon the customer's needs, these new bandwidth services may also require a given service reliability level (e.g., 99.98% availability, less than X severely errored seconds, etc.).
After the customer has identified the bandwidth and associated reliability requirements, the service provider can then identify the physical layout for each of the new channels that are to be provisioned. In this process, the network engineer may consider whether single points of failure should be avoided, what type of protection scheme should be used, etc. After the network engineer has identified a routing for each of the channels, a work order is generated. This work order is used to direct the service provider's service personnel in physically setting up the channel between the customer's locations. The channel setup process requires the physical installation of new circuit packs (e.g., interface cards, multiplexing cards, etc.) within a plurality of managed network elements. Generally, the new circuit packs can be associated with a working channel or a redundant channel for a given protection scheme.
After the channel setup is complete, the MIB must be updated to accurately reflect the changes in the network. The updating process can be labor intensive. Human operators are predominantly awarded the task of entering the information representing the newly provisioned channels into the MIB. This entry process is prone to mistake. The human operator may unintentionally enter erroneous information. For example, the human operator may simply mis-type some of the vital information. Digits that are erroneously entered may represent port numbers, the number of shelves in a network element, etc.
Mistakes in the data entry process will lead to the creation of an inaccurate MIB. The inaccurate MIB, in turn, will cause the network management system to have an inaccurate view of the managed network elements within the network. This inaccurate view severely compromises the ability of the service provider to manage the network.
For example, to perform a restoration switch, accurate information is needed to ensure that the correct channels are actually switched. Inadvertent switching of the wrong channels to the protection channel may compound the problem that is sought to be solved. Errors of this magnitude will severely impact the confidence of the customer in the ability of the service provider to effectively handle its bandwidth requirements.
Further with respect to a service provider's customers, an accurate view of the network is necessary to ensure that the customer is kept informed of the status of its bandwidth services. The network management system is designed to respond to customer service requests or be proactive in addressing future network problems. Without an accurate view of the network, the service provider may be prevented from responding to a customer's request in a timely manner.